KARACHI: President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto yesterday [March 15] announced that education wold be made universal and free up to class X in all schools, government or private, in two phases. In the first phase, beginning on Oct 1 this year, education would be made free up to Class VIII. The second phase would begin on Oct 1, 1974, when education would be made free in Classes IX and X. Announcing the salient features of the new education policy in a nationwide broadcast … the President said that it aimed at building national cohesion and social harmony.

He emphasised: “We have got to change education from an elite privilege to an equal expectation. This opportunity belongs to every citizen regardless of race, religion, or sex; regardless of origin or birth.” He said education should not be an abstract endeavour; on the contrary, it must be closely related to employment opportunities. The President disclosed that the expenditure on education in the very first year of the new programme would almost be doubled. In future years, the overall annual increase would be about 15 per cent. He further announced that all privately managed schools would be nationalised in a phased manner within a period of two years commencing from Oct 1 this year. —

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2022